


Foresight

by WattStalf



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: AU, F/M, Rating May Change, tags added as they become relevant, warnings may be added
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-16
Updated: 2016-04-28
Packaged: 2018-05-27 00:31:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6262123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WattStalf/pseuds/WattStalf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU in which Robin meets Morgan before she meets the man she will marry, or so she thinks.<br/>The end of the world is growing closer and she knows she has the chance to sacrifice herself to save everyone, but her redheaded son bares a passing resemblance to someone she believes to be dead, and she'd like to know who the true father is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this because I really like Gangrel x Robin, but find it incredibly silly to imagine them dicking around for so long before Endgame in order for them to get married. So here's a retelling. The other ships in this are mentioned in passing and are personal favorites of mine- some may not be possible in-game, but this is my story so.  
> I started this forever ago and only just now got around to working on it more. It was supposed to be one long story, but I've decided to do it in chapters instead.  
> 

With the apocalypse on the horizon, and with the knowledge of her large role in it, it was no surprise that Robin seemed to be incredibly stressed and would look down in the dumps from time to time. And though everyone tried to help as best they could, it seemed nothing was capable of cheering her up in the slightest.

That was because that was not what was bothering the tactician. Or, rather, it was not the only thing bothering her. The simple truth was, she was lonely, and this was the sort of loneliness that could not be cured by any of her friends, not even Chrom.

Robin knew that the end of the world was not the best time to contemplate her less-than-satisfactory love life, but it had become altogether impossible to ignore the fact that she was the only person in the army left unmarried. While a majority of her close friends had found their soul mates, she had not had a single date since she had been found in that field.

She was not asking for an instant wedding, but the thought of going into what could be the last battle she would ever face alone, never knowing what love truly felt like, depressed her a lot more than it should. And perhaps it would have hurt less (or maybe more) if she did not have evidence that there was someone out there capable of loving her that she would love in return.

Morgan. Her son, come back from the future, with no recollection of their family life. Her son, who could not remember his father's name or face, but who clearly had something in common with him, considering Robin had never once had hair of that color. Her son, with deep, coppery, red hair.

And this did nothing to help her identify the father. The coloring of his hair was somewhere between Cordelia and Sully, which would have made Anna or Miriel likely candidates if not for the obvious impossibility of that (and their unions to Gregor and Donnel, respectively). Cordelia and Sully were ruled out for much the same reason (though, in this case, their marriages were to Chrom and Libra).

Really, the only redheaded man Robin knew was Gaius, and his hair was more orange than red and he was blissfully married to Sumia, besides. Their daughter had not mentioned any divorces or affairs happening in the future, and Robin honestly couldn't see herself doing something like that with him, besides.

It was possible that it was someone she had not yet met, and that all well and good, but that meant she had to be patient, and with the knowledge that she could very well be dying soon made it incredibly hard to do that. If she died, she would not only die without knowing her husbands identity, but she would also erase Morgan from their timeline completely.

So it was hard for her to know that she was meant to someday meet some unknown, red haired man and have a son with him, but that this would most likely not happen. She would have to look upon her child every day until then, not knowing who fathered him, and die with that question fresh in her mind. And to make matters worse, he did bear a passing resemblance to someone she had met once.

The mad king.

But that was as impossible as Miriel being the father (or perhaps moreso- it would not surprise her if the mage was capable of discovering female-exclusive reproduction)! Gangrel was dead; he had fallen years ago, in her first war at Chrom's side. His name was nothing but a distant memory, the reviled murderer of Emmeryn, and a chaotic madman who plunged his country into war. Even if he were alive, by some chance, she would not believe it possible that he was her future husband.

No, it was far more likely that it was a man she did not yet know. She wondered if Anna had a brother that she was supposed to be introduced to later.

~X~

Robin didn't see him at first, during the battle with the pirates. She hung back, fighting side by side with Morgan, while Cordelia helped Chrom move swiftly toward the man that she was not yet aware was there. Even in a battlefield, she found herself guilty of being caught up thinking about romance, and watching friends fighting together as husband and wife continued to remind her of her loneliness.

Though she was happy to have Morgan with her and happy to be able to train him, there would come a day when he would want to fight with a girl. He seemed to have taken quite the interest in Noire, who was almost as impressive an archer as her father already. She was sure that she and Morgan would make a great team, but then she would be left all alone- if she even survived that long. Sometimes she forgot that her impending death was the real source of all this confusion and loneliness.

She wasn't fighting her best, and hadn't been in quite some time. It was so easy to get distracted, and it wasn't until Frederick charged past on horseback, Lissa's arms wrapped around his waist, that she was snapped out of her own thoughts. They were rushing so that Lissa could heal Chrom as he faced off with someone, and Robin knew that she had to assist her closest friend. She and Morgan started off, defeating any enemy that got in their way, until she saw Chrom, fighting with a man while trying to reason with him. A man that she knew and that she knew to be dead, but yet stood before her, alive, plain as day.

Chrom was trying to reason with Gangrel, trying to bring him to their side, and Robin felt her blood go cold seeing him again like this. He looked even more like Morgan than she had realized, but still, it couldn't be him. She didn't know why Chrom was bothering with him, he was irredeemable and would never fit in on their side and deserved to die here, but Morgan's face was lighting up, looking as if he had finally remembered something long forgotten, and he was leaving her side.

There was no mistaking what he said, and there was no mistaking that he was looking at Gangrel as he said it. “Father!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gotta keep on keepin' on with this one. Still not sure how long it will be, but not too long, I don't think.

To say that Gangrel looked confused at Morgan's outburst would be an understatement, but that was nothing compared to the look of absolute horror that Robin was sure that she was wearing. Morgan looked much too happy to notice how distraught his mother was or how surprised the man he thought to be his father was, and started to move forward, only for Robin to grab him and hold him back. There was a a battle going on, after all, and they had somewhere else to be, someone else to fight. They had to get away from the former mad king before Morgan said anything else.

But the battle ended and the army emerged victorious and Chrom, forgiving Chrom who gave everyone a chance, had convinced Gangrel to join them. Rather than doing the smart thing and striking him down for good, he had brought him back to their camp, where Morgan could try to call him father again and where Robin would have to face her horrifying suspicions.

Of course, he approached them once they were back at camp, one eyebrow raised and his lip curled in a very familiar sneer. “What was this boy referring to?” he asked. “Who is he and why did he say something like that?”

“He's just confused,” she replied, steeling herself and managing to keep her hands from shaking as she did so. Morgan didn't say anything, which she was grateful for, glad that he trusted her judgment even when he did not know what was going on. “He's suffered amnesia and is still figuring these things out.”

“Oh, really?” He chuckled. “I seem to recall hearing similar stories about amnesia and a certain tactician. It's no wonder they have the boy following you around.” Giving Morgan a once over, he said, “Interesting hair color,” before he walked away. Robin breathed a sigh of relief.

“You can't talk to him,” she said to Morgan, once she was sure he was out of earshot. “That man is not a good man, and you need to stay away from him.”

“But, mother, aren't you happy?” he asked, looking more than a bit confused. “That man...I remember him now, he's my father! I don't remember much, but I know it's him, and there's no way he's a bad man.”

It couldn't be true, but there was no way to prove that to Morgan or for Morgan to prove the contrary to her. She simply sighed and said, “Things are a lot more complicated than you understand and there's a lot I still don't understand myself. I'd appreciate it if you stayed away from him until I get things a little bit more sorted. Alright?”

“I'll stay away,” said Morgan, looking forlorn. “I was hoping we could be a family again and I would be able to recover more memories, but if you really think I should wait to approach him...I will.”

“I appreciate that.”

~X~

In the end, she didn't have time to worry about Morgan or Gangrel or their potential relationship. Their final battle had come, and her final test had arrived, and it was time to sacrifice herself so that her friends may live on and the world may have peace. It was all up to Robin, but when she found herself faced with the choice, it was no easier to make than she expected.

There was Morgan, watching her, and he would have to watch her die, and she had never figured out his story and she had never had Morgan herself. He would never really be born, and she would die without knowing his father and she would die without knowing love, and she would never discover why he believed that his father was Gangrel.

Chrom was not willing to let her sacrifice herself anyway, and that was why she allowed him to convince her and why allowed him to land the final blow. There was a chance they would be met again by the same foe, and when the time came, it would be her fault, but she wanted time with her son so much and she wanted the family that she knew she was supposed to have.

It was selfishness and there was really no excuse for that, and even knowing her reasons for doing it, she couldn't forgive herself. When the battle was won and everyone was celebrating, she went off by herself to think. She shouldn't have let Chrom get in the way like that and she shouldn't have let her own desires get in the way like that. How had she let herself be so clouded by selfishness?  
“What's got you so glum out here? Didn't you hear we won?” asked the very last person she wanted to see right then. Gangrel didn't seem to realize that or, if he did, he didn't care, and he sat down beside her.

“You wouldn't understand,” she replied.

“Now, now, I know the gist of it. You were supposed to die today, weren't you?” He laughed softly, something she wasn't used to hearing from the usually boisterous man. “I heard about how it worked, and if you weren't the one to put Grima down, then he might someday return. But you weren't the one to do it, and now you feel like you've done something wrong, correct?”

She nodded, and then he laughed the laugh she was used to, full and loud. “You're too young and good to be wishing yourself dead, you know! I've wished I was dead for long enough, but even your little prince didn't want to put me out of my misery this time. If someone like me gets to keep on living, then I don't see how it would be fair for you to die for all of us.”

“It doesn't have anything to do with me being good _or_ young, or anything like that,” she said. “It had to be me because it just _had_ to. I didn't have a choice in that, but I had the choice to follow through with it and I failed.”

“Is it really a failure? If there's a wrong choice, then you didn't really have a choice at all.” Shaking his head, he continued, “No, I think the fact that you were able to make any choice at all means that there wasn't a wrong one. Then again, what does this old dog know?” He let out an even sharper laugh.

His words shouldn't have offered any comfort to her, but they did. She wanted, more than anything, to be appalled by him and to brush him off like he deserved, but the things he said made sense to her and she wasn't sure how to respond to him. This wasn't the Gangrel she thought she knew, and when he said his goodbyes and left her alone in her thoughts, she didn't know what to think.

She almost felt better after talking to him, even though nothing he said changed the fact that she had failed her friends. He had comforted her when she hadn't thought anyone could, and she wondered, for the briefest moment, if that was why a future version of herself could fall in love with him. But then she shook her head, trying to banish the thought. Morgan had to be wrong about this and she couldn't be destined to fall in love with him, even if he had made her feel a little better.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter. The C-support conversation happens here, tweaked ever so slightly.

Robin had never wondered too much about Morgan's fighting class. She had met him as a thief, but had not thought much on it, what with all the other things there were to worry about at the time. It seemed so much more important that she had a son to begin with, and she didn't spend much time considering that he was a thief.

After all, it didn't necessarily give her any hints about his father anyway. Noire was an Archer like Virion, but Inigo was neither a dancer like his mother nor a dark mage like his father, and Severa had little in common with Cordelia or Chrom, very plainly of her own choice. Brady had let Vaike train him with an ax in an attempt to become better with weapons, but that had come later, and it made sense than Yarne took after Panne more than Stahl, and that Nah took after Nowi more than Ricken.

When Robin actually looked at how the children fought in relation to their parents, there were so many similarities or differences, and no two situations were alike. Her son was a thief, but she did not consider that a significant clue. But now, she couldn't help but wonder if she had missed something. Now, she couldn't help but second guess everything, but she still refused to accept Gangrel as the potential father of her child.

~X~

Making their way back home, the group stopped skirmishes and fought bandits, just like the old days. There were no longer bigger things to worry about, and the group was so strong that these fights felt like nothing to them. Robin barely had to put any effort into strategy, and everyone knew who they fit with so well at this point that even pairing up was not something she had to worry about.

Except for the fact that Gangrel didn't work well with anyone. No matter who Robin paired him up with, it just didn't work because no one was willing to trust him. She couldn't blame them, of course, but she also couldn't just let him run off on his own, doing whatever he wanted. There had to be someone to keep him in check, and if no one else was willing to do that, it would have to be her.

That was how she ended up spending even more time with the former mad king than she wanted, and she really didn't want to spend any time with him at all. She couldn't just preach to the others about being better sports if she couldn't be around him, and her excuse was not one that she wanted anyone else to know. Working out what his real relation to her and Morgan was would not be something that she would want anyone else weighing in on.

He was, at least, a skilled fighter, and once she knew exactly what his strong points were, it was not really that hard to work with him. They made a good team, even though she hated to admit it, and often he would compliment some little thing she did during a battle, little moves that others would not notice. He made it so obvious that he was beginning to admire her that she really shouldn't have been so surprised when he came to her with an offer.

She was hard at work when he came to her, laughing as he said, “Busy as always, eh, tactician? Careful now... Keep that nose of yours so close to the grindstone and you're liable to sand it off!”

Robin rolled her eyes, not looking up at him. “Someone has to pick up the slack around here. Especially for those with nothing better than to waste time with pointless banter.”

“Ho ho, you've a sharp tongue, milady, but hear me out,” he said. “You may find your impatience misplaced.”

“I really have things to do,” she muttered, wishing he would take the hint and _leave_.

“You see,” he said, completely ignoring her, “something's been troubling me for a while now...what's a woman like you doing in the service of a man like Chrom?”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, Chrom's a brave fellow, true, but he's chosen a hard road to travel. I'm not sure I see the attraction for someone of your...caliber. Seems like you could do better than collect crumbs from his table.” She looked up at him at last to see a smug grin on his face.

“It's a hard road, no denying it, but it's the same we've always traveled. Through thick and thin we've stuck together. I see no reason to change that, even now that the war is over,” she replied evenly.

“Noble words and well spoken!” he declared. “But I expect nothing less. I've had my eye on you ever since our first battle...”

“Is there a point to all this?” she asked, trying to disguise the panic in her voice. Was he honestly hitting on her, now of all times? Was he attracted to her? Was this how it was all supposed to start? She wasn't sure what any of this meant, or what Chrom had to do with things. He couldn't honestly think there was something between them, not when Chrom had been married to Cordelia for so long.

But Gangrel's face gave absolutely nothing away. “I've had my say, for today. Just think on it, will you?” And before she could come up with a way to phrase her next question, he was walking away, and she did not follow him. What the hell was going on with him? Was she supposed to get wrapped up in a romance with him at this point? She couldn't accept that he was the one for her, but now he was showing interest in her, and she didn't know what she was supposed to do.

The idea of following along with it was horrifying, because it was  _Gangrel_ , but if she didn't, what would become of Morgan? If this was supposed to be her sign that this was the man she would marry, she didn't know how to proceed or how to process what she was feeling or how the encounter might have made her feel, had she not been so worried about what could be.

And she wondered if the slightest thrill she felt, the thrill that had replaced the annoyance, when she saw his smug grin meant anything or if she was just over thinking it.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fuck if i know anymore  
> i can't write anything today but still i try

In between the first time he approached her with his strange offer and the second time, he made her laugh quite a few times. It was not intentional, or at least, he reactions weren't, but there were times when he honestly made her laugh, and she had been feeling so down and out lately that she almost appreciated the chance to really smile again. Only almost, though, because she was still determined not to like him.

But he also seemed so committed to changing, and even when he wasn't doing something to make her laugh, he still gave her cause to smile if she did not watch herself, because he was honestly trying to do his part around the camps as they made their way home. He wasn't nice, but he tried to play at it as much as he could, and a few people even started to warm up to him, at least a little bit. Or at least, Henry never had issue with anyone and liked having another Plegian to get caught up with, and Stahl was good-natured enough to try to get along with anybody.

No matter how much Gangrel was trying to change and no matter how he might make her laugh sometimes, Robin still wanted nothing to do with him, but Morgan had not let it go yet. “I saw you two talking,” he said. “Are you starting to get close?”

“Morgan,” she said with a sigh, “you're not subtle. And just because we had a conversation does not mean anything.”

“I know that, but you have to understand. I know my memories are fuzzy, but I know what I saw...” He looked hurt and a bit ashamed, and she immediately felt guilty for how she was handling this. It was hard to figure out how to be a mother to a teenager that knew her better than she knew him.

“I'm sorry,” she said, “but you also have to understand that all of this is very difficult and confusing for me as well. I'm doing my best to process everything, but it's all a lot to take in, especially considering my past with him. And we still don't know for sure if he really is who you think he is. Perhaps he just looks so similar that your memories got mixed up.”

Morgan nodded, but he still looked troubled. “That is possible,” he said at last. “I just wanted to see if anything was different, is all.”

“If anything drastically changes, you'll be the first to know.”

~X~

The second time he approached her with his offer, he was more straightforward about what he really wanted. He started off with the usual comment about how hard she worked, and she demanded he tell her what he was doing following her around.

“You're not one for reading between the lines, are you? Then I shall spell it out...I want you to leave Chrom and his gang, and serve as my tactician instead.” He said all of this as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“You're trying to _recruit_ me?” she asked, surprised, yet relieved, that that was all it was.

“Of course!” he replied. “Why else would I keep chatting you up?”

“Heh, indeed, why would you...” she said, more to herself than to him. Of course, she was glad to know that he wasn't trying to pursue her and that the remarks made about having his eye on her did not mean what she had thought they meant, but there was a very small part of her that wondered what she would have done if he was trying to pursue her.

“Well then?” Already, he looked impatient. “I would have your answer. Will you serve as tactician to Plegia?”

Was he really expecting her to be able to make a decision so quickly? Of course, she already had, but that was beside the point. “I'm...honored, I suppose? But no. I'd never take a position there.”

Gangrel actually looked surprised by her response. “Why not? Plegia's as fine a realm as any in the land!”

“Yes, it is,” she had to admit, “but I'm the tactician who inflicted a humiliating defeat on her. What would your people say if I were given control of their army?”

“The people?” He scoffed. “You don't have to worry about them! They love their old king, you know. If I tell them you're the woman for the job, they'll welcome you with open arms! Perhaps even hold a parade in your honor...”

She was so much more flattered by all that he was saying than she should be. Why should she care if he thought his people would accept her, if he wanted to hold her a parade? “So after this war is over, you intend to return to Plegia?”

He paused, looking as though he was thinking something over. “I suppose,” he said at last. “Most likely? I haven't given it much thought, to be honest...”

“What?” Robin couldn't believe that he was going on as if he already had his throne back, when he wasn't even sure if he wanted to return to his old kingdom. “But if you don't return, you'll have no need for a tactician anyway. Perhaps you should decide your own future before we start discussing mine.”

“Hmm, I suppose you're right. What _am_ I going to do now that the war is over?” There was something off, something slightly theatrical, about his voice when he asked that question, but she chose to ignore it.

“Let me know what you come up with. Or don't. That's fine too,” she said, coldly enough that she hoped it would send him away. Unfortunately, he did nothing of the sort.

“I've been meaning to ask you something,” he said. “I've been with this group for a while now, and I keep noticing something strange. A lot of people with very odd resemblances between them.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Take Lucina, for instance! Now, I know she must be a royal with the way she resembles Chrom, but then there's that Severa girl. Are the two of them sisters or something? They both have that ridiculous blue hair.”

“I thought it was pretty obvious they were sisters,” she replied, but she knew exactly what she was getting at.

“So then why is Severa the spitting image of Chrom's wife?”

“Because Lucina and Severa are their daughters.”

“But they're so old! And their parents are so young. That doesn't make any sense,” he said, but he said it challengingly, making it obvious that he knew that _something_ was up and that he just needed Robin to let him know what that something was. And so she did what she could to explain things to him, though the time travel could still be confusing even to her.

But Gangrel seemed to get it, at least enough that he nodded and said, “I see. Makes perfect sense, then!” He began to list off any child whose name he knew, seeing if he could accurately guess their parents. “Gerome obviously belongs to Cherche,” he finished, “but I have no idea who the father on that one could be.”

“She's married to Kellam.”

He gave her a blank stare before abruptly moving on. “Anyway, thank you for explaining that to me. It makes a lot of things around here make a lot more sense. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of important things to ponder.” He gave her a knowing smile before walking away, and she wondered just what was on his mind after that.

More than that, she wondered why he would approach her so often about a job that he didn't even know he would need filled. There was more to his actions than met the eye, but there was more to her reactions as well, and though she could deny it all she wanted, she knew that something was changing between them.

He was a different man than she once knew and he was not a man that she could really say she disliked. She could almost admit that she liked when he bothered her, and she could almost admit that she was starting to consider him a friend, but the implications of that were more than she wanted to think about.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOD DO I TRY


	5. Chapter 5

Gangrel kept up talking to her, almost daily, sometimes talking more about his observations of the people in the army, other times trying to flatter her skills as a tactician and not so subtly hint that she would work even better under him. Most of the time, though, he was there with some sort of joke, always trying to make her laugh in some way. That was the only reason she didn't completely hate him anymore, she told herself. He was too funny to truly hate.

It got to the point that every day, she could count on him coming by to talk with her, and she would wait for him. She didn't mind the company, though she always tried to convince herself that she just felt bad for the fact that she was probably his only friend and that he was lonely. He made such a routine of it that she felt it becoming a part of her own routine.

“Greetings, Robin!” And there he was, just like always, but this time, he was carrying something. “Guess who? Here, I brought you a gift from the market. Made a trip especially for you.” He thrust his hand out, letting her get a good look at the bouquet he carried.

“Flowers?” She had to fight back a blush. “Er...thank you...I guess? An odd sort of gift, coming from you.”

Gangrel let out that godawful laugh of his, that he didn't hate nearly as much as she pretended to. “I suppose it is, now that you mention it. Not quite my image, eh? Truth is, this is the first time I've ever tried this sort of thing. In the old days, I couldn't swing my arms without striking one sycophant or another. And I did, fairly often...” He chuckled. “Simpering merchants, trembling corporals, women of all types and...backgrounds. Everyone was agreeable, whether I earned their friendship or not.”

“It was the throne they revered, not the man who sat in it,” she replied with a snort.

“Really? Why, how shocking...” He didn't seem to be nearly as shocked as he claimed, however; he was such a strange, interesting man.

She sighed, before asking, “Anyway, have you made a decision yet? About where you'll go after the war?”

“Not yet,” he replied. “I'm still considering all the possibilities...that cur Validar left Plegia little more than a smoking ruin. She's a shadow of her former self, and no denying.”

Robin felt a stab of pity for the man. “Your realm has suffered greatly, it's true.”

“When this war's done, I'm not sure there'll be a nation to govern or people to serve,” he said sadly, but the he brightened. “But then again, if it _can_ be saved, the former king is just the man for the job!” There was a pause as Robin was unable to think of a response to him. She couldn't deny that she admired his optimism and his loyalty to his own people and the fact that he really was changing.

“What's this? I don't hear you disagreeing? In fact, your face almost looks...hopeful?” He flashed her a grin. “Has my rousing speech convinced you to quit Chrom and cast your lot with me?”

“What?” Robin flinched, again struggling not to blush. “No! Not at all. But...I am glad to see you taking things seriously, for once.”

“Of course I do, when it comes to Plegia! I hope you'll do the same, tactician,” he said, his tone growing even more serious. “And I do hope you enjoyed the flowers, I went to _such_ trouble to pick them out for you.”

And then he was on his way, leaving Robin alone with her thoughts once again. Once again, leaving her to wonder what the hell was going on between the two of them, and once again, leaving her to try to deny the feelings that were growing for him. But she couldn't keep denying those feelings, no matter how much she wanted to, because they were there, and she was starting to realize that the future didn't matter. Whether or not the suspicion that he was Morgan's father was causing her to fall for him more quickly did not matter; if he was Morgan's father, she was going to fall in love with him, and she could finally see a reason behind that.

So what was stopping her from going with this? The past didn't matter any more than the future did. He was a changed man, and he really did seem to put forth a sincere effort, and she liked the man he was becoming. She liked Gangrel, and it was no longer such a stretch to think that she could someday fall in love with him, or to think that she might already have.

For a few days after, she was lost in her thoughts, realizing more and more that she _was_ falling for him, that nothing could stop her from falling for him, and that she really stood a chance of being happy with him. He was the last man she would have ever imagined, but he had stolen her heart somehow and she was okay with that; she had been so afraid of being alone, but she knew that she wouldn't have to worry about that with someone like him at her side. Gangrel had barely been able to leave her alone since he had been recruited.

The only question was, was he interested in her as well? She had been so worried about her own feelings for him that she hadn't even thought about his, and it had always seemed like such a given that if she fell for him, they would end up together, but now she realized that he might only see her as a friend, and she sincerely hoped that that was not the case. However, she wasn't really sure how to bring up such a thing to him, and honestly didn't know the first thing about trying to win him over.

Now she didn't know what to do about any of this, and she could only hope that she hadn't been wrong about any of this. She hoped that Gangrel was following her around out of interest for her and that all of the times she had suspected that his behavior was bordering on romantic, she had been correct. If not, then she would have to try to make up for the times she had brushed him off and seemed disinterested, or else she would risk never having a chance with him.

She never would have thought she would find herself getting this stressed out over Gangrel's opinion of her, but now it was one of the most important things to her.

 


	6. Chapter 6

Robin hadn't realized how different talking to Gangrel would be when she actually acknowledged her feelings for him, but it was, and she felt a little nervous thrill when he approached her that she had always been able to suppress before. She couldn't help but find herself worrying over things she never had before, such as what she was going to say to him and even if she looked alright, and it was all very strange to her. But, of course, everything about her life had gotten strange since she had grown close with this man.

“Ho, tactician! Your favorite former monarch is here again!” he said, and why had she never noticed before how charming the ridiculous way he talked was? “So, what say you? Have you made a decision? Will you take me up on my offer?”

Gangrel, I see that you've been making a genuine effort to change.” she said, trying to keep her voice steady. “So in return, I've been giving your proposal some serious thought.”

“Oh, it's an effort, all right!” he replied “I'm not used to begging and wheedling. Back in the old days, when I saw something I wanted, I took it! No questions asked!”

“I suppose being a murderous despot does have its advantages.So what of your past deeds? Have you any regrets?” she asked.

“Without question. Power can be a great and terrible thing...at some point I began to live for it and only it. I forgot what normal life was. Now I'm just Gangrel, foot soldier,” he said, looking serious and thoughtful. “It's easy to renounce my old wicked ways. But what if I return to Plegia and end up on the throne once again? I'm still a flawed, weak man. I'll need someone to keep me in line...someone like you, for example. You wouldn't let me stray, would you?”

“It sounds like you're looking for a babysitter...” She desperately hoped that he would deny that that was true.

Gangrel laughed. “No, I'm looking for _you_ , Robin! I want you at my side.”

Her heart leaped at his words. “This is starting to sound like a different kind of proposal altogether,” she said softly, not sure if she should even dare to hope for such a thing.

“What do you mean? Could I be any more clear in asking for your hand in marriage?!” He paused, contemplated. “Er, one moment...did I forget that part?” It was so completely and classically _him_ that she was overcome with the urge to laugh...until the implication of his words actually hit her.

“What?! You've only talked about hiring me as a tactician,” she murmured, wondering if she dared to be hopeful that he was serious. It appeared that he was, but even now, she wondered if there were going to be some sort of catch.

“Tactician, wife- it's all the same! Who cares about the details! You and me, together forever! _That's_ my proposition to you!” he declared, grinning.

“You really mean this...you're really proposing to me?” She remembered that she should not let her own feelings get in the way of the fact that she was about to accept a proposal from someone like him. “You do swear you've changed, don't you?”

“I swear it up and down! I will jump through whatever hoops you deem fit! With you at my side, I'll want for nothing... I could never be tempted by power again. You'll make me a better person, my lady. Someone who rules justly. Someone who makes the world a better place. ...But I won't neglect your happiness, either. Don't you worry! I'll love you like no man has ever loved, even once you become a wizened old hag.” By the end of his speech, there was a look in his eyes more fierce and determined than she had ever seen on the battlefield, and a smile more sincere than she had ever seen during one of his jokes.

She was stunned into silence by how absolutely sincere he was, by the fact that she had only just decided to pursue him in earnest and he had come to reveal that he had wanted her all along, and before she could find the words to accept his proposal, his face grew serious and he spoke again.

“Besides, I know that Morgan is my son.”

That was not what she was expecting to hear at all, and once again, she was thrown and it took her a moment to recover before she said, “What? What do you mean?”

“Isn't he?” he asked.

“I...yes,” she confessed, “he is. But...how did you know?”

“He called me father the instant he met me! Even _I_ can't ignore something that obvious, and there's the matter of his hair color, and then you explained the situation with the other children to me,” he replied. “Not to mention how unbelievably handsome the boy is! And it explained how strangely you always acted around me as well.”

“I didn't know what to do about it...” she said. “I had so many reasons to suspect, but at the time, I just couldn't see myself ever...”

“Falling for me? Well, I wish I could say I blame you, but I can't,” he replied. “You've...made me see the world in a new way, including my old self. And with you, I've found...a reason to keep living and something to live for. Not only my future, but my future with you, and with Morgan. With you by my side, I'm confident I can make up for past deeds and maybe someday even deserve such a wonderful life!” His bright smile returned, and Robin couldn't help herself then; she pulled him in for a kiss.

He returned it in kind, tangling a hand in her hair and moaning into her mouth, and it was as if every nerve in her body came alive at once. Pressing her body against his, she was suddenly so hungry for him, for everything she had missed out on while her friends and comrades were falling in love and she was waiting for him. She wanted him, and very badly, and from what she could tell, being pushed up against him like this, he wanted her as well.

“What say we take this somewhere more secluded,” he murmured, breaking the kiss, and she shivered at the look in his eyes.

Nodding, she said, “I was hoping to tell Morgan the good news but...I think that can't wait just a little bit longer...”

And so she lead him to her tent, not even caring who saw them walking together, hand in hand. All she could think about now was Gangrel, and how everything had changed and changed for the better, and how much she wanted him and would want him for the rest of her life. When he had her alone, he looked ready to say something again, and though she was impatient to get started, she asked him what was on his mind.

“Oh, just thinking about all of this. How in blazes did you get me to...love you?” He shook his head, grinning, before playfully adding, “If you're trying to make a new man of me, it's working.”

But they both knew that it already had.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayyyyyyyyy it's over


End file.
